English: Grammar in Context and Close Reading
Core concepts
MDCAT English tests grammar in context, sentence structure, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Review subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, pronoun reference, modifier placement, parallelism, conditionals, prepositions, and punctuation. Build vocabulary from word roots, prefixes, and suffixes, and practice choosing the word that fits both meaning and register. For comprehension, identify the main idea, supporting details, tone, and inference; do not let a single familiar word override the passage's logic.
Exam traps
Indefinite pronouns such as 'each,' 'everyone,' and 'neither' are singular, even when followed by a plural prepositional phrase. Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on whether the group acts as one unit. Watch for dangling modifiers, such as 'Walking to class, the rain started'-the introductory phrase must describe the subject. Distinguish 'affect' (verb) from 'effect' (noun), 'lie' (recline) from 'lay' (place), and 'fewer' (countable) from 'less' (uncountable). In sentence correction, choose the shortest option that preserves meaning and fixes the error.
Worked example
Choose the correct verb: 'Neither of the students ___ ready.' The subject is 'neither,' an indefinite pronoun, which is singular, so the answer is 'was,' not 'were.' The prepositional phrase 'of the students' does not change the number of the subject.
Rule of thumb
Remove prepositional phrases and parentheticals, then check agreement and reference.